A judge has ordered the sale of animals taken this week from a Warren pet shop where the owner was arrested

Warren district Judge Jennifer Faunce’s order follows a garnishment and default judgment against Greenwood Pets & Plants and owner Dennis Jones over his unpaid legal fees to an attorney, according to court records.

Animal control officers on Wednesday removed dozens of animals — including birds, kittens, a puppy, two roosters, an iguana, a tarantula and a 10-foot Burmese python — from the business, which lacked electricity and water service because utilities were cut off. Most were mildly to severely under-nourished.

Of the three dozen cockatiels, several were bloodied and some had broken wings and toes. Two died less than 24 hours after being removed from the pet store, located on Nine Mile Road near Schoenherr Road.

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Court records show Jones owes more than $2,000 to attorney Robert Binkowski for representing him in a civil lawsuit filed in 2007 that resulted in the dismissal of a claim against the Warren business owner.

Last September, Binkowski filed a garnishment action against Greenwood Pets & Plants, and two months later Faunce ruled Binkowski should receive $2,171. The judge found Greenwood in default in late March, and Binkowski subsequently requested that property be seized. Faunce granted the request.

“Due to the difficulty in storage and perishability of the property of the defendants seized at Greenwood, the court orders that property be sold immediately,” Faunce said in a court document dated May 16.

A city electrical inspector visited the store Wednesday, and the Warren Police Department’s Animal Control division asked Macomb County animal control officers to assist in removing the animals.

A puppy and 10 kittens, some with respiratory infections, were sent to the Macomb County Animal Shelter. The remaining dozens of animals were sent to Parkway Small Animal & Exotic Hospital in Clinton Township.

“Everybody made it through the night, so we’re continuing to see some improvement. Four cockatiels are not out of the woods,” owner and veterinarian Dr. Thomas Bankstahl said Friday. “Half are still receiving fluid therapy, but a number are off shock medication.

“Some of the cockatiels are going to need weeks and months of treatment, by the time we stabilize them and amputate some toes.”

Under Faunce’s order, the animals are under the legal control of court officer Paul Zalenski, who has authority to sell them.

“Had we not acted, you can probably surmise what would’ve happened a week from now. If the power wasn’t returned to the building and the water wasn’t returned to the building, any animals that appeared to be distressed would’ve been a week further distressed. It was imperative to act quickly in order to save the animals,” Zalenski said Friday.

“In a perfect world, I will get contacted by a pet store willing to buy all or half,” he added.

Meantime, the Macomb County Treasurer’s Office placed a tax lien on the longtime pet shop on Thursday. The lien is on equipment because of $2,977 in unpaid personal property taxes over the past three years, county Treasurer Ted Wahby said Friday.

Jones, 57, faces one felony count of animal cruelty. Under the offense, Jones is accused of failing to provide adequate care or negligently allowing at least four but less than 10 to suffer unnecessary neglect, torture or pain. If convicted, he could be sentenced to two years behind bars, a $2,000 fine and 300 hours of community service. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 30.

Jones is free after posting $10,000 bond but is prohibited from possessing animals.